**TO:** Social	Innovation	Fund	Continuation	Grantees

**FROM:** Director	of	the	Social	Innovation	Fund **RE:** FY	20 13 Social	Innovation	Fund	Grant	Continuation	Requests **DATE:** TBD **Introduction** This memo provides information on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 continuation application process. This process applies only to grantees **whose final**  **year for**  **awarded funds**  **is this**  **current program	year** . The continuation application consists of: (1) an application submitted through eGrants and (2) a spreadsheet	of information	on	subgrantee	awards submitted	via	email. **General	Information** Grantees	may	apply	for	up	to	the	annual	amount	of	their	previous	grant	award.		All	applications	will be	submitted	through	the	eGrants	system.		The	application	deadline	is **Wednesday ,	July	3rd** **, 2013**  **at 5:00**  **pm Eastern**  **Time**. Grantees can expect to receive decisions from CNCS by September 1, 2013 . **Continuation	Request	Review	Criteria** The	annual	continuation	review	process	will	be	conducted	by Social	Innovation	Fund	program	staff , evaluation staff, and Office of Grants Management grants officers. Decisions will be based on the continuation submission, staff knowledge, and previously submitted documents such as the quarterly progress report, the biannual federal financial report (FFR), Subgrantee Evaluation Plans (SEP) and Scaling Plans. To be approved for continued funding, grantees must demonstrate satisfactory performance with respect to key program goals and requirements, as well as compliance	with	the	terms	and	conditions	of the	grant. The	review	criteria	are: 1. Subgrantee	selection	and continuation a. Grantee successfully completed its subgrantee selection process in alignment with the approved selection plan, including ensuring that all subgrantees had at least preliminary	levels	of	evidence. b. Grantee successsfully completed its subgrantee continuation review process and made decisions	based	on	subgrantee	performance,	spending,	and progress	towards	evaluation goals. c. Grantee has a reasonable plan for use of any funds recouped through the subgrantee continuation	review	process. 2. Program	Evaluation a. Grantee secured approval of and initiated implementation of subgrantee evaluation plans. b. Subgrantee evaluation plans will reach moderate level of evidence by the end of the grant	period. c. Grantee demonstrates adequate progress towards subgrantee evaluation planimplementation,	satisfactorily	addressing	challenges	where	they	have	occurred.

3. Growing	Subgrantee	Impact a. Grantee	has an	approved scaling	plan. b. Grantee has made appropriate progress towards its goals for scaling or replicating subgrantees,	or	otherwise	building	their	capacity	for	growth. 4. Ensuring and maintaining compliance with programmatic and federal requirements and regulations. a. Grantee	has	provided	adequate	training to	subgrantees	on	grant	requirements. b. Grantee	is	providing	adequate	subgrantee	oversight	and	monitoring. c. Grantee	has	effectively utilized grant	funds	at	the	grantee	and	subgrantee	level. d. Grantee	and	subgrantee	have	made	sufficient progress	in	raising	match. e. Grantee has adequately addressed program implementation challenges and has communicated	these	with	its	program	officer. f. Grantee has been responsive to CNCS requests for information including timely submission of financial and progress reports, Subgrantee Evaluation Plans and continuation	applications. 5. Proposed	changes	to	the	program	plan and budget. a. Grantee has presented reasonable justification for proposed changes to the program plan	or	budget	to	the	CNCS	program	and/or	grants officer. **Application	Instructions** The 2013 Social Innovation Fund Continuation NOFA is now open in eGrants. Please follow the instructions	below	to	complete	and	submit	your	application. **1. Creating	a**  **2013 Continuation	Application** 

 On your eGrants Home Page, under **Creating a**  **Grant Application** , select **Continuation/Renewal**

 Then, select **Continue** from the options listed to the right of your SIF grant. Do not start a new	application.		If	you	have	more	than	one	grant	with	the	Corporation,	be	sure	to	select	the correct	one.		The	system	will	copy	your	most	recently	awarded	application.

 Select **Next** on	the	screen	that	opens **2. Applicant	Info	and	Application	Info** 

 Update the **Applicant Info**  and **Application Info**  screens as necessary . In particular, click **View/Edit** under **Project Director**  to see if the contact information is current. Make any necessary	changes	to	the	project	director’s	contact	information.

 However, if the project director has changed, you must create a record for the new person by clicking **Enter New** . DO NOT overwrite the information for an existing contact with the information	for	a	new	contact	because	this	affects	the	historical	record.

 Note	in	the **Continuation	Changes** field	any	changes	you	have	made	to	these	screens.

 Click **Next 3.**  **Application	Narrative**

 Your original application will appear in the different sections of the **Narratives** screen. **Do not**  **enter continuation**  **changes in,**  **or otherwise**  **edit, the**  **original narrative**  **fields.** Instead	provide	the	information	described	below	in	the	narrative	field	called	“**Co ntinuation**  **Changes**”.

 If this is your second or third continuation request, please distinguish from last year’s text already in the **Continuation Changes**  field by labeling this year’s narrative “**Year 2**  **or 3**  **Continuation	Changes”.**

 First,	enter	any changes you are	proposing	to	make to	your	applicant	info	or	your	approved grant program as presented in your application. Clearly title any change you are making.For example, if you intend to make changes to your evaluation plan, you would enter

“Changes	to	Portfolio	Evaluation	Plan”	as	a	header	and	list	the	specific	changes	underneath.

 Second, please address the following topics. As a general guideline, we anticipate that your continuation	narrative	will be	about	6	double-spaced	pages,	or	12,000	characters.  Explain the past year’s performance on key dimensions not addressed by the quarterly progress report including progress made towards your goals for expanding or replicating	sub-grantees	or	otherwise	building	their	capacity	for	growth;	Changes	to	the previously approved scope or design of the program - this may include a revised timeline for the program, changes in your subgrant plan, and adjustments to your training	or	evaluation	plans,	etc.  Describe any issues that arose during your sub-grantee continuation process and how they were resolved. Identify and provide an explanation for any subgrantees that were terminated,	chose	not	to	continue or whose award	was	significantly	decreased.  Describe changes in key staff positions. If any key positions are currently vacant, describe	how	the	functions	are	being	carried	out	and	when	the	positions	will	be	filled.  Provide	a	rationale	for	proposed	changes	to	the	budget.  Explain challenges from the past year and how you have addressed them. This should include any noteworthy instances where progress or implementation did not occur as planned. If there are budget ramifications, please explain these as well, for example, if your evaluation	costs	have	increased	due	to	a	delay	in	implementation.  Changes	made	to	the **Applicant	Info** and **Application	Info** screens. **4. Budget**  Your budget from the previous year will be copied into your continuation request. Make any necessary adjustments to the existing budget. Include funding to support at least two staff members attending two SIF-related convenings. For planning purposes, assume meetings will occur	in	Washington	DC. **5. Subgrantee	Continuation	Review/** **Chart	of	Subgrant	Awards** Please complete the attached	spreadsheet with	information	on your	current subgrantees. Items included	in	the	chart	are:

 2012	Award	(Federal)

 2012	Award	(Grantee)

 2013	Award	(Federal)

 2013	Award	(Grantee)

 Start	Date

 Term	of	Award

 Total	Match	Funds	Raised (to	date)

 Total	Match	Funds	Spent (to	date)

 Total	Federal	Funds	Spent (to	date) Please	submit	a	copy	of	your	continuation	review	criteria	to	your	Program	Officer. **6. Authorize	and	Submit**  Your	Authorized	Representative*	must	log	into	his	or	her	eGrants	account	in	order	to	certify	the application	prior	to	submission. *The Authorized Representative is the official within an applicant organization with the legal authority to give assurances, make commitments, enter into contracts, and execute suchdocuments on behalf of the applicant as may be required by a grantmaker. The signature of

the Authorized Representative certifies that commitments made on grant proposals will be honored and ensures that the applicant agrees to conform to the grantmaker's regulations, guidelines, and policies. **The Authorized**  **Representative is**  **mos t**  **cases would**  **not be**  **the Project	Director** 

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